Release My Soul
by SiMply Sakura-chan
Summary: Sakura was a stubborn figure skater who viewed love as nothing but bitterness and pain. Until her new coach, aggravating yet irresistible, turned her world upside down and proved her wrong...SxS
1. Chapter 1

Whee! Here I am, with yet another story I happened to come up with. It popped out of nowhere but I decided I wanted to write it. Sheesh, I keep jumping from story to story. WAHH…one day this will all come to my head and I shall become insane. Well…I guess I already _am_… …err…gosh, am I really that crazy? –coughs- Ahem, well onto the story. Full summary? Eh, why not…

_Kinomoto Sakura is a skillful yet spunky ice skater that learned by mere trial and error. Her parents, wishing for her to go steps further, hires the professional but cocky coach, Li Syaoran. Two different personalities, can they possibly cooperate with each other? Sure they can…with a bit of love, that is…_

Disclaimer: No, I do NOT own CCS. Do I seem like CLAMP to you? No!

**Release My Soul**

Chapter 1: Releasing the Shock

A chilly breeze flew past a cozy cottage house. The comfy home was surrounded by frigid snow, which was about one and a half feet about the ground. Puffs of warm smoke exited out the bricked chimney and swiftly vanished in the wintry atmosphere. Trees surrounding the tiny structure were enclosed with the slightly frozen matter, covering the very few leaves that managed to adhere to it even through the autumn months. Leafy shrubberies stuck out here and there, hardly seen in all the whiteness. A corroded, old truck was parked in front of the house; small particles of ice had grown onto the exterior. The snow was everywhere, roofing over all in sight. The nearest houses were spread out about a quarter of a mile apart, approaching the countryside. The nearby town, Tomoeda, was a few miles away.

Behind the house existed a small pond, almost wholly frozen. A wooden, sturdy fence encircled it. The snow had piled around the enclosure, and various vines were snaked around the rough surface. On the huge chunk of ice skated a young woman. Her eyes shone of sparkling emeralds and strands of auburn hair fell around her delicate face. She danced around the small lake. The metal blades of her ice skates burrowed into the frozen water, leaving marks of where she skated. She glided around, picking up speed. She appeared not the least bit fazed of the bitter winds or the falling snowflakes, due to wearing a comfy fleece jacket; instead she was focused in her own little world, separated from reality.

She was reluctantly brought back to the existent world when she heard her name calling out to her.

"Sakura!"

The young woman ceased her movement, slowing down. Her eyes traveled towards her house and met the shining eyes of her mother, who had opened the window and poked her head out. Her wavy gray hair fluttered with the briskly winds. She wore a slight frown across her face, and her crunched brows indicated she was somewhat angry or disappointed.

"Sakura! Come here this instant!"

Sakura's lips curved downward and worried about why her mom was so upset. She stepped out of the ice and sighed, trudging through the heavy snow. She walked through the back door, the temperate heat warming up her body. She untied the laces of her old, beaten skates. It had worn out in nine years time, practicing outside during the winter months frequently. Sakura would buy new ones, but she couldn't possibly afford any.

She entered her kitchen and found her mother, Kinomoto Nadeshiko, and father, Kinomoto Fujitaka, glaring at her. "What?"

Her mother picked up a bunch of mail in front of Sakura's perplexed face. "Sakura," her mother calmly said. "Why did we not receive any acceptance letters from any universities or colleges in such a long time?"

Sakura shrugged. "Maybe they don't want me in their colleges. And I'm perfectly fine with that."

"Sakura, that's not the point. You are nineteen years old, young lady. You have had straight A pluses through elementary and high school, and one of the most intelligent girls on the island! Any college would be thrilled to have you and call you one of their students!" her mother sighed heavily.

Her father spoke in a deep voice, almost making Sakura shudder. "Sakura, did you not send registration letters to the universities?"

Sakura stared at them blankly, not knowing whether to answer the question or not. "I-I uh…"

Her mother groaned. "You didn't, did you?"

"Um…"

"Sakura!" yelled her parents simultaneously.

Sakura held up her hands defensively. "Okay! Okay! So I didn't send any, no big deal. Frankly, I don't care to go to college."

"Why not, Sakura?" Fujitaka asked.

Sakura sighed, her temper starting to rise. "I've told you this many, many times! But you and mom still won't listen!"

Her mother moaned, knowing where this was leading. "Oh, Sakura. Is this about that ice skating thing again?"

"Yes! I don't want to deal with any calculus expressions, scientific equations, or study books over half my weight for hours and hours! I want to skate, to go pro!"

Fujitaka massaged his temples. "Sakura, we've been over this multiple times before. You haven't even taken any lessons. How can you possibly become a professional when you have not even been properly trained?"

"Dad, have you watched those Olympic women on television? I can do just about anything they can, and I didn't even have some fancy coach who charges thousands of yen to guide me!"

"Sakura! Why do you keep insisting? You are chasing an impracticable dream! Do you really think you can compete against those famous girls? How can you possibly think you can become one? And furthermore, why would you want to?" Nadeshiko asked, a little too harshly.

"You don't understand!" Sakura yelled, close to tears. "All I want is to figure skate! It is not just a hobby to me; it is a passion! It's something I want to do for the rest of life, even if I grow old and weary! I want to skate! Why won't you understand me?"

Sakura ran out the kitchen. She slipped on her tan snow boots and went out the front door.

"Sakura!" her mother called.

"Let her go, Nadeshiko. I suppose she needs time." Fujitaka stated.

Nadeshiko suppressed a sigh. "Why won't that girl just go to a college? She's perfectly capable to get into any university she pleases; yet all she thinks about is skating! It has been like this ever since—" she stopped, refusing to awake old, forgotten memories.

Fujitaka stroked his chin and exhaled noisily. "Well, she does love the sport, dear. And she is very good at it. Maybe she could have a try at it."

Nadeshiko frowned. "Oh, not you too!"

"Hear me out, honey. I have seen the women who compete on television, and I can see Sakura is just a bit under them. Sakura is a young lady with a stubborn attitude and a strong will. She can succeed in anything she wants to. In this case, it is figure skating. The girl wants this, Nadeshiko, and who are we to stop her from living her dreams? Ever since Sakura was little, we always told her to live her dreams. Now, well—doesn't that seem hypocritical of us if we stop her? Sakura isn't a small girl anymore; she's a young lady who is competent of just about anything. We should let her pursue her dreams and encourage her as well. Nadeshiko…we have to let her go her own way…" he whispered at the end.

Nadeshiko sulked, knowing his words were true. "I suppose you are right, as always. It's just—I've always dreamed that my children would have the best jobs the world could offer. When Touya graduated from high school and went on to college, I assumed Sakura would follow. I mean, Touya is now a flourishing lawyer in Tokyo! I always thought Sakura would have some kind of job as successful as him."

"But Sakura and Touya are two individual people."

"I know…but do you really think Sakura can make to professional?"

"I don't believe she's ready…but if she has someone to help her…" Fujitaka stared at the ground, deep in thought. After a couple seconds passed, he smiled reticently. "And I think I might know the person who is proficient enough for the job."

Nadeshiko widened her eyes. "You mean…like a preeminent trainer? We couldn't possibly afford one!"

Fujitaka smiled as he picked up the phone. "That is why it is good to have connections."

¤¤¤

Sakura marched through the snow in resentment. She wanted to figure skate; that was all she asked for. Why couldn't her parents understand that? WHY? She loved to ice skate. The way it felt to glide across the ice, the feel of the breeze that swept past her, and the way the world seemed to vanish temporarily with just a step into the frosty ground, shielding her from reality's malevolence, harshness, and desolation. It was her escape from the world and its dissatisfaction and heartaches. The enjoyment of the sport created an illusion of an ideal world, all her own and away from the real earth. She always wanted to feel that, which is why she wanted to turn it into a profession.

Sakura observed the world around her. She snorted in repugnance. If people other than herself saw with their eyes what she looked at, they would have said the earth was beautiful, peaceful, and charming. But Sakura would look deeper, seeing how filthy and rotten it was. She saw past the delusions, concentrating on how appealing it might seem at first, but it devastated with iniquity and a bunch of rubbish.

Sakura groaned in frustration. Maybe taking a walk was a horrid idea, seeing once more how foul the world really was. She was not in the mood. Actually, she never really could be in the mood. She mumbled angrily to herself as she headed back home.

¤¤¤

Sakura grumbled as she opened the door. She was just about to enter her room when she heard her mother say her name.

"Sakura?" It was said in a sweet tone, unlike the furious one Sakura expected.

Sakura rolled her eyes as she faced her parents for a second time. "Yes?"

Her father smiled at her, and Sakura thought it was odd. A bit _too_ odd… "Glad you came back, Sakura. Listen, your mother and I have been thinking…that maybe we were wrong. If you really desire to skate, then you may if you wish."

Sakura gaped at the two, believing that she was not hearing right. Were her parents not just fuming at her about half an hour ago? Why the sudden change? "I-I-I'm sorry. Did I hear you right? You are letting me skate? For an occupation?"

Her mother wore a grin that kept growing. "Yes Sakura, if this is what you want, then we are willing to support you in this."

Sakura blinked a few times in disbelief. This wasn't a dream, was it?

Fujitaka coughed a bit before continuing. "But—there is one condition, Sakura."

She frowned. Of course there's a condition…there always is. But it could not be too bad, could it? They finally agreed to let her skate, and she had to jump at the chance. She'd do anything to get the job.

"…You will be under a personal trainer."

"WHAT!" Sakura nearly screamed. Okay, she would do anything to skate, except that. She wanted to achieve her dream her own way; she did not need some person butting in her life, ordering her around, and shouting down her neck if she did even the tiniest little mistake. No, she does not want that to happen, _thank you very much_. "I don't need a coach! I can do well by myself. Besides don't the high-quality ones cost much money?"

"We would not need to pay much. I contacted a close friend of mine, whose son is a superlative figure skating trainer. Do not worry, Sakura; you will be in very good hands."

"But Dad, I can do this myself."

"Sakura, I know you are a very skilled figure skater, but you need at least a person to help guide you or point out a few things to help you improve."

"I don't need a coach, Dad! I can improve myself, with no help from anybody!"

"Sakura, do you want to skate or not? This is my condition, you know; and to skate, you must accept it."

"B-b-but, Dad…I-I…"

Nadeshiko put a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "It is all right, Sakura. Your father knows very well what he is doing. You should trust him."

Sakura heaved a sigh. "Must I really do this?"

Her parents nodded and she grunted. "Fine, fine. I'll do it." Sakura was still reluctant, but she was desperate as well.

Fujitaka grinned. "I knew you'd say that. Now, you must travel to Tokyo for your lessons. We have already bought your train ticket; you'll depart tomorrow morning. My friend has offered you to stay at her house for as long your lessons will take."

Sakura gawked at him in shock. "Tomorrow morning? Why…WHY do I have to leave so soon?"

Fujitaka chuckled. "My friend…is very prompt and straightforward. She tends to be swift and efficient."

"So I have to stay with some strict lady?"

"Yes, Sakura, but I do think you will learn to adapt."

"And just how long will these horrid lessons take?"

"For as long as your coach wants; he will know when you are ready."

Sakura let out a small 'humph.' "Who exactly will be my trainer?"

"His name is Li Syaoran-san. He is about your age I believe, maybe one or two years older. It has been several years since I last saw the boy, but from what I saw, he is very talented. So I assure you that you are in very capable hands. He has taught many people of all sorts, despite his age. "

"Great, just great." Sarcasm overcame Sakura's voice. "Might as well pack right now given the awfully short amount of time I have." Sakura gave her parents an annoyed glare and stomped into her bedroom.

Nadeshiko gave her husband a worried look. "Are you really sure we should do this? Let her go out in Tokyo?"

He nodded. "Yes, it is very safe. Who knows? Maybe Li-san will warm up to Sakura."

A small smile crept along Nadeshiko's face. "Perhaps, although I doubt that will happen. Sakura has not shown her lighter side since…her freshman year of high school. Deep inside, I know that cheerful, affectionate side of her is still there, longing to be set free and to love again."

"I'd love to see that side of Sakura, too. There's still hope, for it is not impossible. All Sakura needs is a little push."

¤¤¤

Clothes hung everywhere, and some were thrown about in every which way. Sakura pulled out the drawers of her dresser and simply threw the clothing onto her bed. She emptied out her drawers one by one, taking all her belongings. After all, who knows how long she would stay in Tokyo? She wore a tight frown, grabbing some accessories and dumped them on her bed as well. Sakura slid open her closet and dragged a humungous suitcase out. Jeez, out of all the crazy things her parents would demand of her…but she had no choice, unless of course, she wished to study millions of books all day long and write several different reports.

"Tch…" Sakura quietly mumbled to herself. She folded her clothes and placed them in the luggage. She could not believe she was currently packing all her stuff to go to Tokyo and take lessons from some probably strict guy she had never once laid eyes on for probably many months, even more! Sakura moaned once more as she tossed some remaining items into her suitcase.

Sakura laid back into her bed, breathing deeply. She didn't want to leave her home; she actually did like staying here. It was serene and silent, traits that the overcrowding cities lacked. She always did favor the simplicity of her humble abode. She glanced out her window. The sky was beginning to darken, but it was not very evident since the white flakes of snow dropped down from the heavens. Sakura slipped herself into the covers of her little twin-sized bed, yawning ever so slightly. She felt like sleeping early. After all, she did not know what tomorrow would bring and she did feel rather exhausted. Her eyes closed and opened a few times before drifting into sleep.

¤¤¤

Sakura muttered to herself the next morning. Apparently, she had been doing that plenty of times lately. Sheesh, this whole thing has been driving her to insanity.

Sakura had accidentally slept in an hour longer than she intended. She rushed in the bathroom and took a quick shower. About half an hour later, she hurried out to the kitchen and snatched a piece of toast, smothered with strawberry jelly. She took a bite while brushing her wet, silky hair. Her parents were already fully awake and dressed, eating their breakfast. They watched her run forwards and back, an irritated look on her face. After some time, she finally managed to haul her luggage with her. It was about an hour before Sakura's departure, so they stepped outside into their tiny truck. Sakura took one long look at her house before they drove away into Tomoeda.

¤¤¤

Sakura gave out a look of boredom as she stepped into the line of passengers.

Nadeshiko gave her daughter one last hug. "Be careful, Sakura. And be nice to your trainer!"

Sakura nearly snorted out loud. _Easy for her to say…_

"You'll be picked up at the train station, so don't worry. Yelan-san, my friend, is very kind; just don't get her angry." Fujitaka chuckled gently. "But when you see her, would you please say hi for me, Sakura?"

Sakura nodded. "Uh…'kay, but are you really sure you want me to do this?"

Her father smiled, knowing his daughter was still trying to get out of this whole arrangement. But there was no changing his mind now. "Yes, yes. Now get on that train before I have to force you in."

Sakura tried to smile. "Fine, I suppose I have to…" she turned around to the ticket taker in front of her and gave him the ticket. Sakura looked back at her parents, who were smiling sympathetically at her. They waved goodbye, and Sakura did the same.

Sakura looked around. There were small hallways leading to several rooms. From her point of view, she saw some food bars to her right and the rooms to her left. She ambled to the left side and started looking for her room.

"Mm…twenty-nine…twenty-nine…where is that room twenty-ni—" she stopped when she saw the numbers glued to the wooden door before her. She silently opened the door, which let out a small creak. Inside were a built-in bed with inserted drawers and a mini television was fastened to the right of the ceiling. Sakura placed her suitcase below the TV and stared out the small window. The train had already started moving, picking up its rate as the seconds passed. Sakura watched as flashes of Tomoeda sped past her, barely able to perceive the parts of the town. She was going to miss the town, and she hoped to see it again soon. Sakura unzipped the front pocket of her baggage and drew out a small book. She plopped onto her bed and began reading where she had last left off. _This is going to be a long trip…_

¤¤¤

The following morning, Sakura came out of the train, lugging her baggage behind her. She was dressed in black jeans and a white fur jacket. A pair of sunglasses hung above her dainty nose, concealing the glints of dullness in her eyes. She inhaled the fresh air. Gosh, it was extremely boring inside that stuffy train. The previous day, all she did was finish her book, eat a little, and wander aimlessly around the train, having brief conversations with some of the travelers. The rest of the time was spent in her miniature room, staring at the tedious, white ceiling for hours before she fell into a light nap. She could have seriously died from the boredom.

Sakura glanced around, ignoring the pushy people marching past her in the growing crowd. She looked around. Great, she was now searching through a mass of people for someone she did not know. If only life could be a bit more simpler. Shoving herself past the people, she squinted to look for any kind of sign of whom she needed to meet with. She did not even have a clue of whom she was to meet. _This is ridiculous._

Then Sakura noticed a small sign bearing the words: Kinomoto Sakura. She ran up to the man who was holding it up. He was very tall, about six feet, and wore black sunglasses and a white suit. "Kinomoto Sakura-san, I presume?" he inquired at the young lady before him, who was taking short pants of breath.

"Y-yes." She answered.

He gave her a brisk nod and turned to open the door of the limousine parked behind him. Sakura mumbled a small thanks as he closed the door and placed her suitcase in the back trunk. The man hastily entered and sat on the driver's seat. Sakura massaged her cold hands as the chauffeur began to drive. She started to become nervous as the minutes rolled by. She wondered what it would be like living in someone else's home, someone she had never known. She felt like running out the car door and back to the train station, begging them to allow her to go back home. Within minutes, the car stopped in front of an enormous, imposing mansion. As the driver opened the door for her, Sakura stared at the house with fascination. Not once in her life was she able to stay at such a luxurious house. Sakura took her luggage from the chauffeur and passed through the lofty, metal gates. She stopped at two huge, wooden doors and knocked timorously. An elderly man with gray hair greeted her at the door.

"May I help you?" he asked.

"Yes, I am Kinomoto Sakura."

The man nodded. "Ah, yes. Yelan-sama has been expecting you. Follow me."

Sakura entered through and went after the man. She gaped at the inside of the building. Various doors were situated at the sides, and a large staircase was built before her leading upwards to more doors. The house was silent…eerie, actually. Sakura was led up the stairs and walked straight across to a pair of dark brown, wooden doors. Sakura ran her fingers on the smooth surface, examining the intricate designs that had been carved into it. The man knocked loudly at the doors.

"Yes?" a soft yet commanding voice beckoned them to come in.

The old man cleared his throat before speaking. "Yelan-sama. Kinomoto Sakura-sama has arrived."

Sakura slowly looked up at a striking woman. She had long, raven black hair that was tied up and dark brown eyes that could bore into anyone's and read him or her like an open book. Her cherry red lips stuck out in her white, pale skin. Sakura realized they were in a huge private library, where millions of books had been placed on the shelves along the walls. The middle-aged woman sat in a comfy chair, reading a large, red book.

The woman stood up and walked to Sakura. She placed her long, bony fingers on Sakura's chin to observe her face. The tips of her lips curved upward. "You look somewhat like your father, Sakura-san."

Sakura's green eyes simply stared at the woman before her. "Um…m-my father says h-hi…" she stammered.

Yelan's fingers slipped away from Sakura face. "That was very kind of him." she hesitated. "I understand you are here to take figure skating lessons, ne?"

Sakura wanted to answer her with a flat-out no and say she was only doing this because her parents were forcing her, but she was fearful of what the woman would say. "Yes." She simply responded.

"My son is a very good teacher, and I'm sure you will improve once he is done with you."

A flash of anger leaped into Sakura's eyes. Unintentionally, her words made her dread staying here.

Yelan continued. "I'd introduce you to him now, but I am afraid he's out at the moment. Until then, you may start unpacking." She turned to the man. "Wei-san, please escort her in the room we've prepared."

"Yes, ma'am." He answered.

Before leaving the room, Sakura said, "U-um…thank you, Li-san."

"Please, call me Yelan."

Sakura nodded as she exited the library. Hmm…Yelan was considerably nice. Hopefully her son would be as nice her.

¤¤¤

Sakura was led to a room close to the library. It was big, larger than her room back home. It had a comfy queen-sized bed. The red covers were made of smooth silk and the feathered pillows were very plump and cozy. In front of the bed hung a medium-sized plasma television. There were an empty dresser and closet. A nightstand stood beside the bed, and a sturdy table was placed near a corner of the room. A large window was built at the back; its velvety red and golden drapes covered the outside view.

Sakura hauled her suitcase on top of the bed and unzipped it open. She removed the items of clothing and placed them into the closet and dresser. About half an hour later, when she was just about done, she noticed a young man a little older than her leaning on her door and simply watching her.

Sakura stopped in her tracks when their eyes met. The man had dark brown hair, tousled around in a disorganized fashion. Locks of hair nearly hid his warm amber eyes. He was a bit thin and muscular. Hmm…he was handsome but discourteous. Kinky…

"Excuse me, but don't you know it is rude to stare at people?" The words came out of her mouth but she could stop herself.

The man gave a sudden look of surprise but quickly covered it with a smirk. "Perhaps, but it is equally rude to snap at someone, especially one who lives in the house you are staying at."

Sakura frowned and ignored him, hoping he would go away. Instead, he observed her fascinatingly. Not being able to stand his presence, Sakura asked coldly, "Is there something I may help you with?"

He kept smiling, starting to enjoy himself. "No, no. I'm fine, Sakura."

She furrowed her brows. This man, whom she had never met in her life, had just called her by her first name—and with no honorific! "How do you know my name?"

"It's not impossible for the resident to know the name of his guest."

Sakura gritted her teeth. "Well, in any case, it's Kinomoto to you."

"But why? I like calling you Sakura."

"Well, I don't." Sakura pushed him out of the room.

"Feisty, aren't we?" he joked.

Sakura sighed and put her hands on her hips. "Look, who the hell are you?"

"Wouldn't you like to know, ne?" His smirk grew bigger, as if that were even possible. Sakura glared hard at his face. "Fine. If you must know, my name is…Li Syaoran, your personal figure skating trainer."

Sakura was literally about to faint right there.

¤¤¤

Dun dun DUN! I hope you liked this chapter. I kind of got lazy at the end, as you can probably tell. Hehehe…anyways, this story is quite different from my other stories, but I like the twist.

Sakura finally meets Syaoran…can she survive? Tsk tsk…you'll find out in the next chapter. So did you like it? Loved it? Hated it? Felt…uncertain about it? Send me a review and tell me what you think. Plus reviews inspire me to write more, which lead to faster updated chapters! So…bwuahahaha!

…I think I really _am_ going insane…


	2. Releasing the Anger

I'm back again, with yet another chapter. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE REVIEWS! –hugs everyone- Oh! I thought of something I thought you should know. In later chapters, there will be a _little_ angst. Just a little. Why? Because I can write it! Bwuahaha! Just kidding…but I had a little influence. –cough_AisakiSumi_cough- Besides, I thought I should stabilize the genres a little bit. There some romance, a bit of angst, and a bit of humor (well, at least I hope it appears humorous to you…I suck at humor…T-T)…or it will at least be a pathetic attempt to balance everything out. I don't know; it depends on your point of view. Anyhow, enough of my excessive babbling, onto the story!

Disclaimer: ME NO OWN CCS! –cough-

**Release My Soul**

Chapter 2: Releasing the Anger

Sakura's eyes widened. No…no…NO! "Y-you can't be serious!"

"Ah, but I am." Syaoran's eyes danced, thoroughly amused.

Sakura bumped her head on the door repetitively, hearing the small thumps over and over. "YOU…are Li Syaoran?"

"The one and only, Sakura."

She glared fiercely at him, but unfortunately for Sakura, he wasn't the least bit deterred. "Why…why…WHY? Out of all the trainers in the world, why did my dad have to hire YOU?" she said, mostly to herself.

Syaoran rolled his eyes. "You are being so overdramatic. We've only met each other for five minutes."

"Which is more than enough to last a billion lifetimes." Sakura added.

"Must you be so mean?"

Irritated, she grumbled, "To you—yes."

He laughed softly. "You are a very interesting person, Sakura."

"Glad you think so." She mumbled in a facetious tone. "Look, I don't want to put up w—"

"SYAORAN!" a loud voice echoed through the empty hallways of the mansion.

Sakura and Syaoran turned to see a girl about their age with long, black hair tied into pigtails. She had ferocious red eyes and a frown tugged at her lips as she ran up to Syaoran and directly digged her index finger at his chest. "Syaoran! Where have you been? Do you have any idea how long I've been waiting?"

Syaoran raised a brow. "Huh?"

The woman held up a pair of skates. "Hello? You were supposed to be at the skating rink forty-five minutes ago. Don't you remember?"

"Oh, sorry. I was…preoccupied." He shifted his gaze to Sakura.

The young lady followed his stare and noticed Sakura standing beside them with a bewildered expression implanted on her face. "Who—" she paused. "Oh! You must be the new guest! Kinomoto Sakura, was it?"

Sakura nodded.

The girl extended her arm towards her. "Hi Kinomoto-san! I'm Li Meiling, Syaoran's cousin."

Sakura slowly took her hand. "Pleased to meet you." She altered the gaze to Syaoran. "It's nice to know some people in this family who have manners, unlike a certain _someone_ I know."

A goofy smile appeared on Syaoran's lips. Meiling looked at Sakura to Syaoran and back. "Eh? Did I miss something?"

Syaoran shook his head. "Naw, come on Meiling. Let's go." He hesitated, glancing at Sakura. "You can come too, you know. I planned to start practicing tomorrow, but why not now? Think of it like an early lesson."

She snorted. "Right…and spend more atrocious time with you when I can at least postpone it till tomorrow? I think I'll pass." She started to walk back in her room.

"Is that really the case? Or are you just afraid?" a cunning smirk tugged at Syaoran's lips.

Sakura stopped, her eyelids stretching out more than usual. She spun around, facing him. "What could I possibly be afraid of?"

"Showing what you can do, of course; you are visibly terrified of me seeing how awful a skater you are."

Sakura could feel her blood start to boil within her rapid pumping veins. "I'm not afraid! That's the last thing that could happen."

Syaoran asked skeptically, "Really? Then prove it to me."

"Fine!" Sakura said before she could even cease the urge. When her ears perked up to the challenge, she could not resist. She wanted to kick that boy's behind to where it belonged.

She entered her room and rummaged through her suitcase. Holding her skates, she stomped out and muttered to Syaoran, "Fine, I'll prove to you that I can skate, and you'll be sorry for ever saying that, Li!"

Sakura marched down the staircase, not bothering to wait for Syaoran and Mei Ling.

Meiling, who had witnessed the scene, frowned at her cousin. "What's gotten into you, Syaoran? I've never seen you act like that before."

Syaoran smiled. "It's just that—that girl interests me."

¤¤¤

Sakura stepped out of the shiny limousine. She ignored Syaoran the entire ride, refusing to face him and his outwardly haughty attitude. He only grinned at her, studying her carefully. He still hadn't figured her out quite yet, but her aggressive approach gave him a sort of attraction to her. One thing's for sure: on the outside, Kinomoto Sakura wasn't like other girls.

Meiling sat silently through the whole ride, glancing at Syaoran a couple times. He acted…different around this Kinomoto. What led him to it? She could not understand. He had many other female students; how was she different from all the rest?

Sakura sighed. _Stupid Li._ The elongated car stopped in front of a wide building. Its walls were painted a light cream color, standing out in the pure snow. The pointed roof was covered in a thin layer of ice. A neon sign had lightened up, blinking the words: Oikawa Skating Rink. There were a few windows, and Sakura could see and faintly hear the jocund children skating inside. The resonance of their laughter gave Sakura the urge to smile and laugh with them. Ice-skating could really turn a frown upside down, and she knew from previous experiences that it could work. She stepped inside the revolving doors, enjoying the warmth inside the structure. Syaoran and Meiling followed after her. At the center was a wide receptionist's desk, covered in papers, computers, and telephones. Two extensive hallways were built at the sides of the desk, and numerous doors stood on the walls.

Syaoran walked up to the receptionist's desk and told an employee, "We're here."

The worker looked up and nodded. "Go ahead, Li-san."

Syaoran entered the left corridor and stopped at the seventh door. He took out a key and unlocked the door. "Here we are. You might want to start putting on those skates." He told the girls as he walked up to a coffee machine. He snatched a Styrofoam cup and poured a bit of coffee inside. A pleasant steam arose from the hot liquid and gave a bit of heat to the cup, warming up his hands. He put in a packet of sugar and blended it well with a plastic spoon. He sipped some of the drink, and a heated sensation tingled his tongue and slithered down his throat. His eyes traveled from the drink to Sakura. _Let's see what she can do…_

Sakura looked around in awe. Long steps descended down the center of the room, where a round, hollow fence had ceased it. Inside the fence was a small ice rink. The surface had been cleaned and polished so well, and Sakura could almost see her refection upon the firm ice.

Sakura blinked. "This room's empty…" she said aloud, not to anyone particular.

Meiling overheard her and replied, "Yes, since Syaoran is one of the most popular coaches here, the Oikawa Skating Rink offered to him a private rink."

"I see…"

"Come on, Kinomoto-san." Meiling plunked onto a stair and patted to a space beside her. "Put on your skates."

Sakura nodded as she sat down beside her and untied the laces of her skates. She slipped her tiny feet out of the fuzzy snow boots she wore and transferred them to her skates. She tightly tied the laces back together, and in a few moments, she was ready. She rose up and glanced at Syaoran, who sipped on his cup of coffee and stared at her. _Oh, I'll show that arrogant man who's an awful skater!_

Sakura placed her right foot onto the ice, and instantly lost herself in a trance. Both her feet stood on the frozen water, gliding across the smooth exterior. She simply started to slide forward, warming up her muscles. She then reversed and skated backwards. She closed her eyes and found herself spinning in one spot. Her arms clutched her chest, resulting in a quicker spin. Suddenly, Sakura lost her thoughts of Syaoran. What he thought of her didn't matter anymore. Her mind wandered into her personal, familiar world. It appeared to her that the twirls pushed away her surroundings. Sakura flared her arms out, slowing down. She crunched down and picked up one foot out in front of her, continuing her rotation. Switching her position, she rose up and held her hands in the air, still whirling on one foot. A peaceful look crept onto her face, and she was like an angel dancing on the ice. Sakura opened her eyes and impeded her momentum. She skated around once more, building up her pace. With one last push from her left leg, Sakura jumped into the air and spun twice counterclockwise. She successfully landed on the solid ground. For her own contentment, she skated around without purpose, enjoying the straightforward feel when the blades of her skates slashed through the ice.

Meiling leaned on the fence, staring at Sakura with such enthrallment. Syaoran watched as well, strolling to Meiling to get a closer view to the gifted girl. He could help but smile: she really _had_ proved him wrong.

"She's amazing when she gets on the ice, ne?" Meiling asked.

Syaoran had no choice but to agree.

After skating around for a while, Sakura abruptly stopped in the middle of the rink. Her eyes shifted around and the brilliance of her eyes unexpectedly drooped. Her countenance gave a sense of weariness, mystification, and mourning. She looked up, and tinges of desperation clouded her emerald orbs. She saw past the paved ceiling, past the atmosphere of the earth, and past the barrenness of space. Her pleading eyes sought out for the heaven above all that, searching to fill a sudden emptiness inside of her.

Syaoran and Meiling stared at her with curious eyes. They glimpsed at each other, wondering the same exact thing: what just happened?

"Kinomoto-san?" a soft voice escaped the lips of Meiling.

Sakura blinked, hearing her name. She turned to Meiling and Syaoran, a noticeable hint of disappointment shone within her now dull green eyes. Sakura stepped towards them, gazing at the floor. Once she met up with them, she looked up to face their inquisitive and concerned eyes.

"Is—is something wrong, Kinomoto-san?" Meiling asked.

Sakura tried to smile and hide her perplexing emotions, but to no avail. "No, nothing's wrong."

Syaoran stared deeply into Sakura's green orbs. "Are you sure?"

Sakura stared back at him, this time a bit stunned. His voice sounded…sincere? "Y-yeah…I'm okay."

She could tell Syaoran wasn't fairly satisfied with her answer, but she forgot all that when he said, "Good, because I wasn't sure whether or not you were going to break out insane and savagely." He hesitated, stroking his chin humorously. "Well, I guess you already are…"

That statement earned him a thwack in the head. "Idiot!"

Meiling's lips curled upward. Always leave it to Syaoran to brighten up the mood—or worsen it.

¤¤¤

Subsequent to the scene at the rink, Sakuraarrived back to the Li mansion and stomped in her room. Her usually beautiful face was crimson all over from anger. There were practically waves of steam coming from her ears, similar to a teakettle filled with sweltering water and pushing out the steam through its spout. She could not understand why that man continued to give her irritating comments about herself. _That Li Syaoran! _Yes, sadly, she had not yet adjusted to his presence.

She lied on her satin-covered bed and thrust her face right on a pillow. She screamed in the fluffy material to discharge as much rage as she could. The method did work in fact, for her at least. But the fury hit her again when she heard that horrible voice.

"Wow, first you trudge through the house like an overweight elephant, and now you scream in your pillow like a screeching bird that never keeps her calm. And I thought you couldn't get any more bizarre."

Sakura's eyebrows furrowed together and her teeth clenched into each other with such a powerful force as she lifted her head from her pillow. Finding Syaoran leaning at her door once again, she shouted, "ARRGH! Go away!"

Syaoran paid no attention to her, chuckling. "You sound like an impudent child."

"YOU are impudent child!" Her eyes searched for anything near, and she put on a wicked smile as she grabbed her pink hairbrush from the nightstand and threw it rapidly at his head. He saw the object flying at his head and made an attempt to dodge. Much to Sakura's satisfaction and his frustration, the brush swiftly hit the top of his forehead. Well, at least it did not hit his face full on, which in truth was her intention.

"Ow…" he rubbed the stinging spot on his forehead and picked up the brush. Syaoran was fully aware that a bruise of some size was already in form. He had not realized the short-tempered woman had such a superior aim.

Sakura was a bit let down when the pink item only knocked his forehead, but she was content. Sakura held out her tongue at him and got up from the bed. She took the hairbrush and shoved him out the room. Syaoran frowned and inquired, "Hey! Aren't you going to at least apologize and care for my wound?"

In response, Sakura wrinkled her nose. "Why would I do that?"

"Come on, don't you have any sympathy? In any case, you should take care of my injury."

"Don't you have any intellect? It's just a minor bruise; you'll live."

"Can't you at least put a band aid on it?" he pouted.

Sakura rolled her eyes as she closed the door. "Be a man, Li Syaoran! You can do it yourself." Syaoran heard from the other side of the door.

Syaoran grinned. "That Sakura…she's really something…" he muttered to himself as he left the door to find a first aid kit.

¤¤¤

That night, Syaoran entered the family library, closing the tall wooden doors behind him with a thud. The room was mostly shady. Small, light fires kindled very few candles, and the tip of the flames swiveled around a little, attempting to increase its warmth and radiance. The wax of the candles melted and emitted a sweet scent into the temperate air. A mysterious atmosphere enveloped the room. It was very silent; the only noises to be heard were inhaling and exhaling of his breath. Syaoran's intense amber orbs searched the dimly lit room and found his mother sitting quietly on a chair, looking out the window with deep concentration. Her legs were crossed and her head rested upon her hand. She was soundless, her hard eyes engrossed with the full moon in the shadowy sky. Her mind was lost in her thoughts. Her brows were creased, wrinkles showing in the space between.

"Syaoran?" her soft voice echoed throughout the room.

Syaoran felt a chill in his spine and gulped. "Yes, Mother? You called?"

Yelan nodded, turning to her son. An awkward silence filled the air as she scrutinized her son, taking note of every inch of his face. She finally said, "What happened to your forehead?"

She must have seen the two band-aids, crossing together in an attempt to cover up his moderate purple bruise. He laughed nervously. "Uh…let's just say a murderous beast rampaged into our house and hit me violently on the forehead." He smiled, knowing if Sakura heard him, she would tear him apart limb from limb.

Yelan stared at her son quizzically, but freed it from her mind. "Yes…well anyways…what do you think of Sakura-san?"

"Well…she's a very…interesting girl. And on the ice—she's certainly talented. With some training, I believe she has immense potential to carry onto the professional level."

"Coming from you, I suspect she is awfully good at what she does."

Syaoran grinned. "You could say that."

Yelan closed her eyes for a second, murmuring, "And to think, she's never ever taken lessons."

Syaoran's brows rose. "Are you serious?" he tapped his chin gently. "So everything she's done at this point…she's learned herself? Fascinating…"

"Yes. She's very capable of just about anything, like her father." She paused. "But Syaoran, take heed to these next few words. I will repeat something that has been said to me—'be careful with her.'"

Puzzlement overwhelmed Syaoran's face. "'Be careful with her'? What do you mean?"

Yelan frowned, and Syaoran got the feeling she did not know what it meant either. With an exhausted sigh, his mother waved her hand at him, giving permission for dismissal. He was reluctant to leave though, wanting an answer to his question. But he knew his mother did not have one, so he exited the room quietly.

He put his hands in his pockets and tilted his head up, wishing for a reply from the skies. He walked away from the wooden doors, the baffling statement engulfing his thoughts.

_Be careful with her…_

Perhaps Kinomoto Sakura was not all she's cracked up to be.

¤¤¤

…This chapter is very short, I know, I know! But I thought it would be good just to stop there. XD Hope it wasn't too boring for you. Hehehe. But keep in mind; other chapters will not be as short as this one (hopefully). So…yeah. Just be thankful I wrote this chapter and updated, instead of running around outside on Christmas break like the crazed maniac I am. Ha! I'm joking, but writing my stories really does pass time. So I'll continue to update when I can. But sometimes, I'll need a day or two to relax. –wink- So send some more reviews to encourage my indolent butt to write some more. Besides, I love reviews. XD


	3. Releasing the Beginning

Hello my lovely, wonderful readers! Here's an update from the dead; yes, I felt dead for some strange reason. Mood swings? I don't knowww... XP …Anyways, hope everyone had a super duper fun Christmas and New Year! Thank you guys SO MUCH for your reviews. I appreciate the kind words and encouragements! You're delightful reviews made me write some more, so I'll be rewarding this chapter to you guys! I hope you love—or at least—like it.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own CCS. What would make you think that I do? I think I'll stop putting these horrid things up; I've made my point, haven't I?

**Release My Soul**

Chapter 3: Releasing the Beginning

Sakura's ears responded to a seemingly remote beeping sound the next morning, awakening her senses and pulling her out of her peaceful slumber. As she stirred in her warm, comfortable bed, the repetitive noise grew audibly stronger. It did not stop however, and she could hear it awfully clearly as if it sounded right beside her sensitive ears. Sakura buried her head into her pillow and covered her ears to try to avoid the exasperating noise, but it was still audible. Sakura shut her eyes tighter and placed the pillow over her head. Jeez, what the heck was that aggravating reverberation? It was driving her nuts! It sounded like an alarm clock, but she did not recall turning the alarm on. Sakura's hand slipped out the bed sheets and felt around the nightstand to turn that pesky alarm off. _Argh, where is it?_ Soon Sakura felt her fingers come in contact with something warm. Sakura was surprised and started to stroke her fingers on it, curious to know what it was. The surface was very smooth and warm, though a bit rough at some spots. Her fingers reached an edge, so she felt around more. Whatever she was touching twitched slightly, so her hand stopped. After a moment, Sakura began to realize what it was. Her eyes opened from underneath the pillow in shock. It—it felt like…skin!

Sakura's head jerked up and saw a horrible sight. Her hand had cupped the chin of none other than Li Syaoran, who was smirking at her very entertainingly while holding the continuously beeping alarm clock.

"HOEEEE!" Sakura released her hand from him and jumped back, almost jumping off the opposite side of the bed. "L-Li!"

Syaoran laughed and shut off the alarm. He placed the clock on the nightstand and turned to Sakura. "Wow, that was unexpected." He retraced the movements of Sakura's fingers on his face with his own fingers. "Who knew you could caress skin so well?"

"You—you—you…IDIOT! I was NOT caressing your skin!" Sakura stammered in annoyance, throwing one of the pillows at him. "What the hell where you trying to do?"

"Hey! Wait a minute! Take it easy!" Syaoran ducked before it hit him. "You were the one touching my face!"

Sakura shot a death glare at him. "What were you doing here in my room in the first place?"

"I was just trying to wake you up."

Sakura glanced at the clock. "AT SIX THIRTY IN THE MORNING?"

"Shh! People are still sleeping you know."

"And I'm supposed to join them!"

Syaoran shook his head. "No, you are not. It's time to start training."

"Training? This early?"

He paused. "Well, no. It's actually supposed to start at six o'clock, but it took you so long to get up. I started ringing the alarm at six, and you didn't even realize it was on until about seven minutes ago. You sure are slow."

"That's because I sleep in on the mornings, like most normal people!" Sakura slipped into the bed covers. "Ugh, I'm going back to sleep."

Syaoran grabbed her shoulder. "No, we have to start warming up."

"No, _you_ can start warming up. _I'm_ going back to sleep." Sakura shook his hand off and hid her head inside the comforter.

"Sakura…" she ignored him, so Syaoran shook her lightly. "Sakura…" he repeated.

Sakura cuddled within the soft bedspread, becoming familiar with its warmth once again. She shut her eyes and listened for Syaoran. It fell quiet and Sakura presumed he left the room in surrender. _Good,_ she thought contentedly.

She was on the verge on falling back to sleep when she felt two strong hands slip under her body and lift her up. Syaoran placed one arm under her knees and the other on her back. Sakura opened her mouth, letting out an instinctive scream. The young man winced at the abrupt shrill that echoed in the room. Frowning, he inched his face toward hers.

"I told you to be quiet." He whispered in a low voice.

Sakura's eyes widened as she felt his hot breath puff onto her face. She could not move. It seemed the sands of time hesitated for a moment, and she could imagine the world freeze before her eyes, losing its rotation for a split second. She sat stiffly in his arms, staring into his passionate golden eyes. The warm eyes entranced Sakura, luring her into his soul, his very being. Gazing intently into his amber orbs, she was able to identify several different emotions. Irritation, sympathy, desperation, mystification…she saw them all, once she concentrated enough.

Syaoran searched through the peculiar emerald orbs that bore into his. Those extraordinary eyes…they were so complex and difficult, to say the least. As he stared into her green irises, he felt like he was being pulled deeper into her heart, but an intricate maze ceased him from going further. There was neither a map nor any clues to unlock the core of her soul; all there was were thousands and thousands of paths leading nowhere. But as he continued to dig deeper, he could see a vague flash of…fear.

Sakura saw his shock. He snapped his head back, and Sakura could swear she witnessed the pupils of his eyes shrink for a brief second. He set her down on the bed gently and shut his eyelids momentarily. Sighing, he ran his bony fingers through his silky, disheveled hair. His gaze darted throughout the room, settling on everything but her; he just could not set his eyes upon her, even if he tried. Syaoran finally turned around and told her, "Just change. I'll be waiting downstairs."

Sakura parted her lips to reply, but no sound came out. She still attempted to release even the tiniest peep, but the effort was futile. Her face displayed a bewildered expression. "…Li?"

¤¤¤

Syaoran had his back lean on the front door. His arms were crossed, and he looked down intently at the white marble floor. Kinomoto Sakura…the young woman was unpredictable, to put it plainly. Syaoran was always very perceptive, always having the sharpest eye. One look into someone's eyes, and he could tell their true emotions. But with her…her bright eyes revealed nothing, shutting the doors to her inner soul. Those eyes uncovered no sentiment, only a certain hollowness and tediousness. Everything about her appearance was unfathomable. She hid her feelings from him, very rarely letting something slip. She was exceptionally excellent at it as well. She kept all her personal emotions and secrets locked inside of her, never to be exposed.

The edge of Syaoran's lips tugged downward. There were also the four little words his mother said. Four little words that kept repeating in his head. _Be careful with her._ Why? Perhaps the caution had something to do with it. After all, she—

His thoughts were interrupted with light footsteps. Syaoran lifted his head and saw Sakura descend the stairs leisurely. Her shoulder-length hair had been tied up, and she wore dark blue sweatpants with a matching jacket. She bore a blank expression until she reached Syaoran. They stared at each other in silence for a few moments. Biting her bottom lip, Sakura uneasily asked, "A-ano…Li…are—are you okay?"

Syaoran changed his look into astonishment. Sakura said something…sympathetic? That was new, and surprising as well. "Err—yeah. I'm all right." He stood up properly and turned the doorknob. "Let's go."

Sakura nodded and sighed inwardly as she passed through the door. Yes, she had to ask it. She felt a small pang of guilt back in her room. She wasn't sure why she felt it or what she had done to make Syaoran behave like that in the first place, but something mused her to say something…_anything_ to Syaoran.

Syaoran stared at her back and could not help but smile. Sakura was nothing but surprises; there was always something unforeseen in her. She amused him very much, in ways he never knew he could be entertained. Teasing the short-tempered girl was always enjoyable too. Perhaps…he could just taunt her a little for his own pleasure.

¤¤¤

"LI!" Sakura shouted furiously. Beads of sweat poured out from her tiny pores, cooling her heated face. Her chest fell and rose rapidly. She could feel the frosty air fly past her. Sakura gasped for breath every second, desperate for some oxygen to reach her lungs. Her face was crimson, not only from the exercise but from anger as well.

Syaoran was in front of her, running backwards. He was merely jogging, and Sakura was sprinting. He cackled a bit, visibly amused. "Wow, you sure are out of shape."

Sakura grunted heavily, almost out of breath. "I'm aware of that; the only exercising I've been doing was on the ice. Now shut up. If it wasn't for you and your dumb threats, I wouldn't be doing this."

Syaoran smiled. Being her usual obstinate self, Sakura at first refused to run. In return, Syaoran would promise a few more months to stay at the Li mansion, thus resulting in a very reluctant Sakura participating in his training. "It's not my fault; I had to say something to get your stubborn attitude to cooperate. And you had better pick up your pace. You'll never catch me to end the practice at the speed you are currently at."

"SHUT UP! Why do we have to run outside anyways?" Sakura wiped the perspiration off her forehead and pushed away the moistened strands of hair sticking to the side of her cheeks.

"Why are you complaining? You've got a jacket on, and you're sweating, which means you are at least warm. Besides, the cool air is refreshing to a heated body. Plus, you should be glad it isn't snowing. I also have to get you back in shape, since you obviously aren't very fit presently."

Sakura clenched her teeth and sprinted faster. Syaoran's practice session was similar to a game of tag. Sakura reached out to catch Syaoran, but he was too quick. He dodged her hand and began to accelerate. She wished she could stop running but knew that if she did, Syaoran would just keep jogging, widening the gap between them. Sakura groaned. "Li! Can't you at least run a little slower?"

Syaoran tapped his chin, pretending to think. "Hmm…no."

"Why not?"

"It's fun seeing you like this."

"BAKA!"

¤¤¤

Meiling opened her eyes lazily and let out a soft yawn. She rubbed her eyelids as her bare feet stepped onto the carpet. Hearing the short tweeting of the birds, Meiling smiled as she opened the satin cherry curtains of her room, consenting a fresh, new luminosity to enter the room. The immeasurable sky was a pale gray, but it wasn't snowing. Even a few rays of sunlight managed to peek through the clouds, shining tenderly on some parts of Tokyo. She left her room and stretched her arms and legs while walking through the hallway. She ambled across Syaoran's open door and noticed the bed was already made. She passed Sakura's room as well. Seeing it empty, Meiling concluded they must be out doing Syaoran's "warm-up training." She should know, for she too had gone through it. _I hope Kinomoto-chan survives._

Meiling bounced down the stairs, feeling happy for some odd reason. She entered the kitchen, her stomach grumbling persistently. She poured water into a teapot and left it sitting on the stove to boil. She started to hum a sweet tune as she waited for the water to fully bubble. She snatched a tea packet and teacup and set it on the table. Meiling wondered what Syaoran was doing to Sakura. Syaoran most likely started with his "you catch me, we stop running" tactic. With her, Meiling caught him after sprinting seven blocks with him. Her cousin was quite the sprinter, very swift and flexible. Who knows how Sakura was holding out? Probably banging a hammer after him. Meiling raised a brow. Their new guest arose a new character in Syaoran. After living with Syaoran for practically his entire life, Meiling had to admit she never saw him like that. Syaoran was always exceedingly reserved, professional, and courteous. Sure, she observed that some things amused Syaoran, but only to a certain extent. He probably made his remarks about Sakura to put her down in place, since she wasn't exactly the compliant kitten. Although…Meiling perceived a tint of enjoyment whenever he looked at Sakura. Meiling wasn't sure how to react to his new side, except interested.

The pot produced a piercing noise, bringing Meiling back to reality. She turned off the stove and poured the hot water into the teacup. She inhaled the wonderful herbal aroma and took a small sip. The stimulating liquid trailed down her dehydrated throat, arousing her senses. "Ahh…that's better." She sighed pleasingly.

Midway through her second sip, she heard a door unlock. _Oh! It must be them._ Meiling swallowed the tea and placed it back on the table. She walked out the room to greet the two. "Hey! Welcome ba—" she ceased her sentence.

Sakura was all red and showed signs of exhaustion and unhappiness. She collapsed to her knees as soon as she entered the house and breathed heavily. Syaoran loomed over the weary girl, wearing a small smile on his lips. "Nice run today, Sakura."

Sakura put on a pouted face. "Nyeh…I don't want to do this anymore…"

Meiling quickly took a dry towel from one of the nearby closets. "Here." She said, holding it in front of Sakura, who accepted it and wiped off her cold sweat. "How far did you guys run?"

"About fifteen blocks." Syaoran answered.

"Fifteen? She caught you after fifteen blocks?"

He paused. "Um, no. I decided end it after fifteen; she wasn't going to catch me anyways." He grinned at Sakura and whispered to Meiling, "But you know, I _was_ running faster than usual."

"What?" Meiling asked in a barely audible voice.

But Syaoran ignored the inquiry and listened to Sakura's latest complaint. "You should have seen him!" Sakura burst out uncontrollably. "He was continually taunting me throughout the whole thing! He kept going on and on, saying how I "had a heavy figure," "walk like a humungous hippo," and "looked like a crazed psychopath with an overripe tomato for a head"! Argh! I can't stand you! You remind me of—of—of—" Sakura stopped, then shook her head. Standing up, she altered her statement. "Never mind. After I take a shower, you can say goodbye to your life, Li Syaoran."

With a huff, Sakura stormed upstairs. With a curious look, Syaoran asked aloud to no one in particular, "I wonder who I remind her of?"

Meiling shook her head. "Syaoran, why must you always provoke her?"

Syaoran gave her nothing but a smile and a wink, walking to the downstairs bathroom. "Sheesh." Meiling sighed.

¤¤¤

"Hoeee…" Sakura collapsed onto the couch, stinging from all her movement. It had been approximately one and a half weeks since she turned up in Tokyo. Syaoran woke her up every single morning, and they both ran for roughly three hours. Of course, Sakura was suffering much more than Syaoran. While the man was fine and dandy, every muscle in Sakura's body ached with soreness, still trying to regulate to the new schedule and amount of training.

Meiling tried to give her a smile. "Are you sore again, Sakura-chan?"

She nodded with difficulty. "Yeah, Meiling-chan…hurts to move…"

"Here. Maybe I can help a little by massaging your shoulders." Meiling placed her hands on her shoulders, rubbing her thumb around in small circles. "I remember the discomfort I had when Syaoran put me through the same thing." …_although, your condition seems worse._ She silently added.

"Arigatou." Sakura said with gratitude. As she spent more and more time with Meiling, Sakura began to like her more and more. She was very helpful, unlike her cousin. Sometimes, Sakura wondered if Meiling and Syaoran were really cousins, due to their dissimilar personalities. Plus, Meiling's presence just seemed to relieve Sakura's tension at Syaoran, no matter how angry she was. Sakura was really enjoying their friendship, despite her preference for solitude. It felt…nice to have a friend again. Back home, she isolated herself from people, with the exception of her family. She did not have friends in high school, preferring to be alone with nothing but her lonely shadow and innermost thoughts to keep her company. But she did have friends in elementary and junior high, many in fact. She even had two, very close friends. But when she entered high school…everything changed.

"Seems like you and Syaoran have been doing nothing but running every day." Meiling commented.

"Yeah, all he wants to do is run and mock me." Sakura grunted. "Doesn't that man ever do anything else? He seriously needs to get a new hobby."

Meiling giggled. "Yes, I suppose you are right. Demo—this is only a guess—I have a suspicion that you are his new favorite student."

Sakura frowned, not particularly from resentment but from inquisitiveness. She did not want to admit it out loud, but what Meiling assumed grabbed her attention. "Me? Why?"

"Oh, I don't know. Perhaps it's because you "amuse" him. You know, most of his students are women around our age. They literally throw themselves at Syaoran, but he could care less. You should see him; Syaoran almost all the time has an uninterested expression on his face. But with you, Sakura-chan, Syaoran always wears a smile."

"It's not a smile, Meiling-chan. It's actually a malevolent smirk." Sakura corrected. "And he puts it on because he likes to irritate me. Frankly, I don't see why so many women would want to date the guy. He's exasperating!"

Meiling suppressed another laugh, continuing to smile. _Yes, but he only acts that way towards you._ "Yes, but they still fall for him. One time, Syaoran was teaching one girl for her first time. She stared at Syaoran with such a ridiculous and sickening look and was literally drooling on the ice. And it so happens, I skated on her ghastly saliva and slipped. You can imagine how sore my butt was for three days."

Sakura laughed, and Meiling's smile grew bigger. It was rare to see Sakura laugh, and it was very melodic. Meiling's hands pulled away from Sakura's shoulders. "Better?"

"Yeah, it really helped. Thank you."

"No problem." Meiling paused. "Say…you want to skate around a bit? We can go to the rink right now. You up for it, or are you still sore?"

Sakura slowly stood up and stretched. "Ano…I'm up for it; I'm feeling better now. Besides, I missed the ice. I haven't skated in more than a week!"

"All right, get your skates. I can drive us there."

¤¤¤

"Meiling-chan?" called Sakura as the two women entered the recognizable building.

"Yes?"

Sakura glimpsed around nervously. "Is—do you think—Li is still here? He mentioned he had a practice session with one of his students around this time."

Meiling glanced at her watch. "Hmm…he might still be here, or at least getting ready to leave. It's nearly time for the practice to end. Why? Eager to see my loving cousin?" she joked.

Sakura frowned lightheartedly and tried to hide behind her. "No, it is the exact opposite! I want to avoid your nauseating cousin whenever I possible can. Err—no offense to you, Meiling-chan."

The other girl laughed lightly. "No offense taken, Sakura-chan. But Syaoran really is not a bad person. He just gets carried away most of the time. Whenever his mind is set on something, he goes all the way. He can be a very ambitious person when he wants to, you know."

"Yes, I do know. He can be as stubborn as a mule, especially when it comes to ridiculing me."

Meiling tapped her chin, a grin hiding behind her ruby jeweled eyes. "That's one way to put it. And…Syaoran does remind me of you, in a way."

Sakura gave her a glare. "ME? I am nothing like that infuriating man!"

Meiling laughed once more, revealing her entertained, ludicrous grin. It was very similar to Syaoran's; so there were at least _some_ traits the two had in common. Sakura was about to open her mouth to make a remark, but a soft, harmonious voice stopped her.

"Meiling-chan!"

Sakura's ears perked up at the sound of the exquisite voice. It sounded familiar…_quite_ familiar, in reality. Sakura could hear footsteps thumping on the floor behind her. Sakura turned around, along with Meiling. Meiling suddenly had a bright smile on her face, while Sakura stared unbelievably at the person before her. The person stopped immediately, noticing Sakura. Both their eyes widened, staring at each other in shock.

"S-S-Sakura-chan?" the other stuttered in incredulity.

"T—" Sakura started. "T-Tomoyo-chan…it—it is you." She ended faintly.

¤¤¤

I'M DONE! Finally, after what seemed like an eternity. -.-; Writing this chapter drove me nuts! I had a hard time writing it for some reason. Sorry for the cliffy…okay, maybe I'm not _entirely_ sorry. –dodges tomatoes thrown at her- But doesn't it make you anticipate the next chapter? Because that's what I'm aiming for. XD Also, ignore the grammatical and spelling mistakes.I don't pay attention to that.XD

Sorry if this story seems a bit unrealistic. I've never taken skating lessons or anything like that. I only ice skated for fun. :) But I did want to learn! Just never got the chance. -sulk- The reason how I got this idea was when I was reminded how I used to watch figure skating on tv. Yepsh, when I was little I used to cheer for Kristi Yamaguchi and Michelle Kwan, my favorite skaters everrrr. XD!

But this story is progressing way too fast, to my utter dismay. I just couldn't think of anything else to write. My deepest apologies! I actually wanted this story to go a bit slower at least. But I didn't know how; sorry people, I'm a newbie authoress. Couldn't you tell? XP –bangs head- Ahem…demo—I was feeling kind of down, so I apologize if this chapter sucked for you. I shall try to write better next time! And you know what? REVIEWS WILL HELP THIS POOR AUTHORESS GET BACK TO HER SENSES! YESH! Plus, it means you get faster chaps. YEPSH, that's right. So what are you waiting for? Review please:)


	4. Releasing the Mistrust

Another chapter! Yay for me. ;) I was going to upload this chapter sooner, but I got distracted. Thank you very much to those who reviewed. You guys are so wonderful! You don't know how much a simple little note about my story means to me! THANKS! –huggles and glomps all the reviewers-

This might be the last chapter in a while, because I have final exams this week so I have to study and stuff. But I could change my mind with some little reviews. –wink wink nudge nudge-

**Release My Soul**

Chapter 4: Releasing the Mistrust

"…It—it is you…"

The girl's smile broadened and stepped towards Sakura, pulling her into a tight embrace. "Sakura-chan! Oh my goodness! It's you!"

Sakura almost gasped out loud, falling stiffly in Tomoyo's arms. She soon got over it though, yet the brilliance of her eyes drooped. She felt Tomoyo hugging her securely in her warm, inviting arms, as if never wanting to let go. "Hello again…Tomoyo-chan."

Tomoyo stepped back, her amethyst eyes sparkling vivaciously. Her beautiful black, wavy hair bounced a bit as she smiled brightly at Sakura. A few strands of her long, delicate hair fell around her round cheeks, contrasting against her soft pale, ivory skin. Her rosy lips continued to widen, and Sakura sensed some joyful tears about to fall from Tomoyo's dark eyes. From the very last time Sakura saw her, Tomoyo was still just as pulchritudinous as ever, if not even more. "Sakura-chan, I've missed you so much! It's been a while, ne? How long has it been?"

Sakura tried to give Tomoyo her best smile. "Eight years…"

Tomoyo saw right through Sakura's attempted smile as if it was a transparent crystal glass. She was slightly taken aback but decided to take no notice of for the time being. Instead she kept smiling, acting as if she never saw it. "Eight years? That really is a long time."

Meiling, who watched the entire scene curiously, finally blurted out, "You two know each other?"

Tomoyo glanced at Meiling and nodded. "Sakura-chan and I attended elementary school together. Ne?"

Sakura tilted her head up and down slowly, using as little energy as possible.

Tomoyo continued. "But Meiling-chan, I never knew you knew Sakura-chan."

"Sakura-chan is Syaoran's newest student." She replied.

"Really?" she turned to the silent girl, who nodded a little. "I have heard rumors that Syaoran-kun has gained another pupil. I never thought it would be you, though. Is that why you are here in Tokyo?"

Sakura stared blankly at Tomoyo. "Yeah…what about you? I thought you moved to Kyoto."

"Yes—well—I had to move to Tokyo two years ago because of my mother's business again."

"And ever since moving here, Tomoyo-chan has offered to help around with some filing around here, because her mother wants her to train herself for business stuff around some places in Tokyo." Meiling added.

Tomoyo grinned, agreeing with her. "And I am Syaoran-kun's personal assistant when it comes to organizing."

"Hey," Sakura heard a recognizable voice reached her ears from behind her…make that an annoying, recognizable voice.

"Speak of the Devil…" Sakura muttered to herself, but Syaoran's keen hearing was barely able to pick it up.

"Aww…Sakura, that's mean." He pouted.

Sakura gazed defiantly at his face. "I think it was meant to be mean."

"Ouch…" he pretended to grimace, then noticed Tomoyo with her inquisitive eyes. "I see you two have met."

"Oh, Sakura-chan and I are old childhood friends." Tomoyo corrected him.

Minor shock appeared on his face. "Is that so? Small world, ne?"

Sakura looked away, refusing to cast her eyes upon the three. She didn't particularly desire to be standing there right now. The three exchanged puzzled looks, but Tomoyo cleared her throat. "E-etou…Syaoran-kun, I hear Sakura-chan is under your training, am I right?"

Syaoran smiled, glimpsing Sakura's auburn hair. "Yes, that is correct. Sakura is a very talented figure skater with promising skill. She's actually one of the best that I have worked with so far, perhaps even the very best. I can perfectly tell her love and dedication for the sport, and she is absolutely amazing when she is on the ice. With some training and motivation, I believe she can go to great heights from what I have seen so far. And I do mean it."

Meiling beamed while astonishment hit Tomoyo. Even Sakura's ears perked in shock when she heard Syaoran's praise. Tomoyo darted her gaze from Syaoran to Sakura. "Wow, Syaoran-kun. It's quite unusual to hear you give someone such credit. I never knew you were so talented when it came to skating, Sakura-chan, or even, that you were interested in the sport."

Tomoyo's words came in one of Sakura's ears, but exited the other. All she did was stare at Syaoran with complete surprise, which he returned with a genuine smile. Never had Syaoran said such thoughtful words to her. Was that what he really thought of her? For once, Sakura could not think up anything to respond to him. Sakura always had another word to bite back against his teasing ones, but his unpredictable words were certainly startling to hear. She could not utter a single word to him. Funny how he had this effect on her sometimes…

Tomoyo tugged gently on Sakura's sleeve. "Sakura-chan, do you mind if I can see you skate? I really want to see it!"

Sakura continued to look at Syaoran, lured too much into his amber pools to tear away. "Aa…"

¤¤¤

Upon entering Syaoran's private ice rink, Sakura sat down and put her skates on. She glanced behind her, seeing the eagerness on Tomoyo's countenance. The two cousins followed Tomoyo, smiling at each other. Sakura turned back to her skates, sighing deeply. She was hoping to skate around peacefully on her own, alone with the deep, hard ice below. She hoped to take her mind off things and glide around the smooth ice with simplicity.

Sakura did not know how to take Tomoyo's abrupt appearance. She did feel hints of happiness inside, but mostly she felt unsure. And it left Sakura a depressed state. Many years had passed since she last saw Tomoyo. It was as if Tomoyo was nothing but a distant memory, widening the gap amidst them until Sakura could not retrieve it. Nevertheless, several events had happened since she was gone. Several events where Tomoyo could have been there, helping her with the most complicated points of her life, where she could have at least comforted her, tell her it was all right, and that everything would turn out okay. It was those times when Sakura needed a friend to lean on, to cry on her shoulders…when she needed her the most.

But she wasn't. Her best friend left her, leaving Sakura to pick up the broken pieces of her heart unaccompanied. All her tears seeped not through the clothes of a friend but to her own; not even her family could help. She had to go through everything alone. Sewing the shards together and mending it through time was tough for Sakura, for there was always a good friend to help her through. But they were all gone that time. No one was there. Her memory withered away gradually in Sakura's mind. Tomoyo was not there when Sakura struggled. But—it was not her fault. Life was simply unfair; Destiny did not allow it; God did not grant her wish. That was how it went. And that was how she became.

With a last knot to her laces, Sakura stood up, briskly brushing off any dirt on her clothes. Tomoyo ceased her ongoing conversation with the cousins, noticing Sakura advance onto the ice. "Yay! She's going to do it!"

Hearing Tomoyo's bubbly voice, Sakura made a small smile. Once she entered the rink, her body took control. She slid on the translucent ice, warming up her legs muscles. She started to skate sideways, opening up her arms and increasing her momentum. Sakura could feel the cold air as she moved past it, unstoppable to the weak force. Her beat more rapidly, her body preparing. She pushed herself up into the air, doing midair spin counterclockwise. She landed back on the ice swiftly, skating with her hands up and one leg in the air. Once she slowed down, she changed direction. She turned her head, watching herself skate backwards. She glided peacefully around vast area of cold ice, performing a few figure eights. Sakura let out a tiny laugh, enjoying the feeling of her body swing in different ways. Feeling a need for speed, Sakura picked up her pace. She jumped off the ice once more, this time twisting clockwise. When her skates touched the ground, Sakura breathed a sigh of relief. She knew not too many figure skaters could jump in both clockwise and counterclockwise. Sakura was able to perceive that most skaters went in the counterclockwise direction, but there were a few who did it the opposite way. Even fewer could master jumping in both ways. But after practicing numerous times at home, Sakura had gotten the hang of it.

Sakura spun around quite a bit, wriggling the arms and legs around elegantly. Her silken auburn hair dangled around her head in a haphazard manner. Sakura closed her eyes, breathing contentedly and wishing the serene moment never to end. She was like a ballet dancer dancing in place, with graceful and careful movements enhancing the beauty of her performance. A minute passed before she slowed down. Sakura gradually parted her eyelids as she came to a complete stop.

Tomoyo watched her with spellbound eyes. "Sugoi…" she breathed out.

"She sure is." Meiling agreed. This was her second time seeing Sakura skate, but seeing her each time was absolutely breathtaking.

Syaoran nodded with great satisfaction. Ice-skating brought out the best of Sakura. It made her divulge her genuine side, one with no temper or hostility but with exuberance and benevolence. Once Sakura stepped foot on the ice, instantaneously, she seemed like a diverse person entirely. It exposed her inner soul, something she might be afraid to call her vulnerable side. Nonetheless, Sakura appeared in her most beautiful state when like this.

Sakura breathed deeply, somewhat exhausted. Her chest rose and fell rhythmically, and she could now feel the cold sweat trickle down her heated face. She pushed back the tresses of hair that just begun to wisp into her eyes behind her ear. The blades of her skates slid across the bare ice, cooling her faintly. She skated towards the exit of the rink, near where Tomoyo stood.

As soon as Sakura stepped out, Tomoyo walked in front of her. She looked completely enthralled and fascinated. "WAHH! Sakura-chan! I never knew you were so outstanding when it came to ice-skating! When did you get so good?"

Unexpectedly, Tomoyo grasped her hands on Sakura's shoulders, making Sakura a diminutively uneasy. "A-anou…I started practicing a lot after you left…"

Letting go of Sakura, Tomoyo sulked. "Oh…I really wish I was there to see you."

Frowning, Sakura thought, _Yeah, me too._

Tomoyo turned around, locking her gaze at Syaoran. "Hey Syaoran-kun? I'm sure you have noticed how brilliant a skater Sakura-chan is; haven't you thought of entering her in a competition?"

Syaoran grinned instantly, shifting his stare at Sakura for a concise moment. "Well, I have considered the idea."

Tomoyo beamed. "Tell you what, Syaoran-kun. I will register Sakura-chan in a competition! Probably the next one will be held in four to five weeks. Do you think you can prepare Sakura-chan by then?"

Returning the same grin, Syaoran answered, "Yes, that amount of time will suffice."

"Yes! This is going to be so fun! I cannot wai—"

"H-hey! Wait a minute!" Sakura disrupted. All the information being transferred back and forth was too quick for her to actually comprehend. "I-I can't enter a competition yet! Don't you think it is a bit—soon? I just arrived in Tokyo and started training about a week ago!"

Tomoyo stopped, and then waved it off. "Soon? Of course not, Sakura-chan! You are not a novice; you'll do fine!"

"But Tomoyo-chan…"

"Sakura-chan! All you have to do is pick a song and choreograph your moves. Once you have done that, you will need to perfect your routine by practicing it over and over. And Syaoran-kun will assist you throughout the whole thing. See? Simple!"

"…But…but I…"

"I think you should do it, Sa-ku-ra." Syaoran butted in, accentuating each syllable in her name.

Sakura could feel a vein on her forehead constantly throb. She gave him a death glare. "Shut up, you! I did NOT ask for your opinion!"

Syaoran chuckled at her fury, resulting in an even more infuriated Sakura. It was times like these that Sakura desperately wished for the infamous saying "if looks could kill" to come true for her. Otherwise, Syaoran would be smashed to a billion tiny pieces and thoroughly burned to ashes by now.

Tomoyo watched the two with curious eyes. Meiling leaned over and whispered to her, "Those to are always like this to each other."

"Hmm…I see…" was all Tomoyo said, flickers of interest shone within her.

It was Meiling's turn to give her view. "You should do it, Sakura-chan. It'd be a great experience for you."

Sakura gave her a tiny pout. "B-but—"

"Everyone agrees but you, Sakura. It's three against one. Majority wins." Syaoran bluntly pointed out.

"Eh? NO! But I'm the one who has to enter and skate! That should count for something!" Sakura retorted.

Tomoyo looked at Sakura with sad and pleading eyes. "Aww…PLEEEEEEASE, Sakura-chan?" she moped.

The ice-skater frowned at her, then sighed in surrender. "Fine…fine. I'll do it."

"YAY!" Tomoyo piped, clapping her hands. Gasping, she inquired, "Oh! Sakura-chan, could I make your outfit for the contest?"

Sakura could now see the glistening in Tomoyo's huge eyes. She was hesitant at first, but then nodded. "Um…sure…go ahead, I guess…"

Tomoyo clasped her hands together and happily stared away, her mind wandering to her personal dreamland. "Great! It would look so gorgeous on you! Oh my, I have SO many ideas already, Sakura-chan!"

Sakura sweatdropped. "I-I'm sure you do…"

"It would be stunning! I will give it lots and lots of frills, some seams here and there, maybe sew on a bit of sequins, and add so much glitter and sparkle…oh the eternal BLISS!" exclaimed Tomoyo.

The other three stared oddly and backed away slowly from the overjoyed girl. Sakura shook her head and sighed. _This is great…just great._

¤¤¤

"Sakura-chan? Could you hold up your arms a bit higher?"

Sakura sighed and raised her weary arms more, allowing Tomoyo to measure her waist. "Tomoyo-chan, is this really necessary?"

Tomoyo knelt beside her and wrapped the measuring device around Sakura's waist. Glancing at the numbers, she quickly jotted down the numbers on a tiny notepad. "Of course Sakura-chan! Since Meiling-chan and Syaoran-kun invited me over for dinner, I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to record your measurements for the outfit! You sure have grown over the years."

"I know I agreed for you to make the clothes for me, but could you not make it so…ornate?"

Tomoyo blinked innocently at her. "Whatever do you mean?"

In return, Sakura rolled her eyes. "When we were nine or ten, every single outfit you made for me was too elaborate and showy. I could not even move in those clothes!"

Tomoyo laughed and moved to measure Sakura's height. "Those clothes were adorable on you! But don't worry, the clothes I'll make for you won't drag you down on the ice."

"Hmm…whatever you say…" Sakura looked at her skeptically. "I sure hope you know what you are doing."

"I am! You have nothing to worry about, Sakura-chan! Trust me."

_Trust me_…Sakura lowered her eyes. Could she really? She had heard about stories where best friends had grown apart over time, losing interest in each other and moving on with their life. But with them, was this really the case? Sakura was trying to get along with Tomoyo again, really she was. And she could tell Tomoyo was trying too. But Sakura felt no connection anymore, no matter how much she tried. Their old friendship…it just wasn't there anymore. Sakura sighed inwardly. She really _had_ isolated herself from everyone else. She really _had_ kept everything to herself. She really _had_ shooed everyone away from her without the use of words. Maybe…she really _was_ alone… 

Hearing no response from Sakura, Tomoyo glanced at her. Sakura's head had lowered, and she could see nothing but Sakura's tiny frown. Tomoyo opened her mouth but closed it, feeling her voice abandoning her. She looked down with depressing eyes. There was a complete silence that enveloped the room, until a knock on the door disrupted it.

"Sakura, Tomoyo-chan…the food's all ready." Syaoran popped his head out from behind the door, seeing a disheartened Tomoyo and a doubtful Sakura. His face showed concern, and he hesitated before speaking. "Is—something wrong?"

Sakura was first to recover from her state. She tipped her head upward and shook her head, going through the door and passing Syaoran. Slowly, Tomoyo followed. As she went by Syaoran, she could hear him whisper to her ear. "Tomoyo-chan, what happened?"

She rotated her head towards him and shook her head miserably. "Nothing…" she replied, walking away.

¤¤¤

Meiling slurped some soup that she had prepared from her spoon. Sure, it was rude, but the uncanny silence was killing her! Right through the dinner, no one really said a word. Her Aunt Yelan was out for the night, and the servants seemed to have all disappeared. Tomoyo poked her food glumly and from time to time glanced at Sakura. Whenever Sakura could feel Tomoyo's gaze on her, she would turn her head and look away to avoid her. Syaoran squirmed uncomfortably and occasionally looked back and forth between the two noiseless women. Meiling could tell the silence was getting to Syaoran's head as well. Every now and then, Meiling would cast a curious look at Syaoran, asking him if he knew what happened. When his amber eyes met her ruby ones, he shrugged restlessly, telling Meiling he had no answer for her. Syaoran cleared his throat suddenly, attempting to start his fourth conversation during the meal.

"S-so…Tomoyo-chan, have you figured a design for Sakura's outfit? Try to make it red, to blend in with her face." Syaoran teased.

Sakura stopped and gave him a simple glare before returning to her food, which unexpectedly left Syaoran disappointed. Stirring the soup over and over with her spoon, Tomoyo murmured, "It's coming along…"

Meiling spoke up. "Can you tell us what color it would be?"

"I don't know…"

Meiling and Syaoran raised their brows. Oooookayyy…

Sakura ate her last bits of food and stood up. "The food was great, Meiling-chan. I'll wash the dishes." With that, Sakura carried the empty dishes to the sink in the next room.

Finishing her food, Meiling told the other two concernedly, "I think I'll help Sakura-chan. You guys done?"

Syaoran nodded and gave her his empty plate. Tomoyo pushed her plate forward, still leaving some food. "I'm really not that hungry anymore, but thank you for the food."

Meiling nodded and took the dishes to the next room. A soft sigh escaped Tomoyo's lips a few moments after Meiling left the room. Getting up, she pushed her chair in. "I guess…I'll be going now."

Syaoran looked up at her peculiarly. "Leaving so soon? Don't you want to watch a movie with us or something?"

Tomoyo shook her head, grabbing her purse. "No thank you, but the dinner was nice." She walked hurriedly to the front door and was about to open it when she noticed Syaoran following her.

"Sure you don't want to stay a little longer?" he offered.

Stepping out the door, she told him, "No, that's all right. I'll see you tomorrow, Syaoran-kun."

Tomoyo took a few steps more into the cold winter air before Syaoran went after her and seized her arm. Closing the front door behind him, he asked gravely, "Tomoyo-chan, what happened between you and Sakura?"

Tomoyo's eyes widened in surprise, but quickly concealed it with a fake smile. "Nothing, Syaoran-kun."

"Tomoyo-chan…" Syaoran called her with a deep voice.

Tomoyo opened her mouth and paused, releasing a sigh afterwards. "I-I don't even know what happened in the room. But I feel—I feel as if I don't even know Sakura-chan anymore." She ended quietly.

Syaoran's eyebrows furrowed together with anxiety. "Why is that?"

Tomoyo's fingers fidgeted with each other as she sulked. "I-I don't know. But—the Sakura-chan I knew from before was never so…distant from me."

Syaoran let go of her arm and questioned Tomoyo softly, "How was Sakura before?"

"She was always so cheerful and full of liveliness. There was a big, dazzling smile glued to her face all the time, making everyone around her want to smile too. Sakura-chan was kind and compassionate, thinking about others instead of herself. It's just how she was. She never once hesitated to help someone in need and was very open to everything. She was a little dense and clumsy too, but it was just a part of her that made her the cute little girl."

A wide smile played upon Syaoran face. "She sounded like a really great person when she was younger. But…she's practically the opposite of today's Sakura. Now she is very enigmatic, keeping to herself, as well as pessimistic. But why is Sakura like this now?"

Tomoyo's amethyst eyes wandered around the front lawn of the Li's, examining the fragile, fallen snow layering the grass below. "I have no idea…but something must have happened to her when I left Tomoeda. But I miss the old Sakura-chan. She doesn't even want to be friends with me anymore."

Syaoran crossed his arms; a small, secretive smile appeared. "I'm not so sure."

The young woman eyed him curiously. "What do you mean?"

"Sakura is one the hardest people to read that I have ever met, but I could tell she felt some guilt."

"Huh?"

"Sakura wants to renew your friendship; she really does. But with her different personality and your sudden reappearance in her life, it's difficult for her to adjust. Who knows how many years it has been since her change, but starting things over—like your friendship—would be complicated for her. I'd say give her some time and don't be so hard on her. Sakura may look tough on the outside, but she's still got a heart. So don't give up on her."

Listening to Syaoran's words attentively, Tomoyo brightened up. Syaoran was not your average man, perceiving even the minute details. "I guess you're right." She laughed a little. "Syaoran-kun, you know much more about her than I expected. So for all that teasing, you were simply observing her?"

Syaoran laughed along with her. "Yes, plus it amuses me."

"It's very rare to see you so entertained."

Syaoran smirked. "Sakura is exceptionally unique compared to other people."

"That's true…" Tomoyo glimpsed at her watch. "I must be going now. Arigatou, Syaoran-kun. I'll keep your words in mind."

"Good. See you tomorrow." He bid goodbye as Tomoyo exited the gates and entered the limousine that had waited for her.

¤¤¤

Sakura looked down from her window, watching Syaoran and Tomoyo converse in the chilly weather. She pondered on the subject of their discussion, probably about her. She observed Tomoyo laughing and Syaoran joining her after. Sakura's fingers reached out to touch the cold glass on the window. She watched as Tomoyo walked away from the mansion, Syaoran looking after her. Sakura sighed softly. Her fingers clenched together, sorrow filling her already disconsolate eyes.

Sakura parted her lips and whispered out, "Gomen nasai (I'm sorry), Tomoyo-chan."

¤¤¤

This was a little longer chapter, to satisfy the readers who love long chaps. Yep. Sakura's going to enter a competition; this should be fun. But I forgot how the scoring goes with those contests. GAH, I need to refresh my memory in that area. XD

My final exams are coming…WAHH! I will die! Like I said earlier, I don't think I'll be updating very soon, at least till finals is over. But of course I can always change my mind. Guess how. X3

I hope everyone likes this chapter! Tell me what you think by sending a review with questions, comments, constructive criticism…the works. Go ahead and give me some constructive criticism. I can take it, plus I know I'm an awful writer compared to most. So reviews will help me. –smile-


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